Savoring Words
by Liaskye24
Summary: Jade Laurel is a 12 year old who lives in District 12. When she is reaped, it is traumatic for both her and her sister. Then she gets to the Arena, and it is a VERY unusual setting...
1. Chapter 1

I had at dream; I had all the food in the world, all the riches, and my mother and father were alive. We were all sitting in a daisy meadow eating delicacies such as ice cream and steak. Birds chirped overhead and the sun cast a warm glow throughout the dream. But suddenly my mother started crying. My mother, with her dark hair and blue eyes, who looked exactly like me. I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what. I tried to comfort her, but she only got worse. The sound of her crying became more and more real...

I opened my eyes to the sound of someone actually crying, a muffled cry that someone was obviously trying to conceal. I turned around in my bed and saw my younger sister Ruby next to me- she had crawled out of her bed and laid next to me in mine. Her face was squished into her pillow. I could hear her soft whimpers.

It was morning, probably six forty-fiveish. Time to get up and dressed for Reaping Day. I knew why Ruby was crying- because this year I was twelve, and I was included in the bowl seven times; one for my age and six for tesserae. And little eight year old Ruby didn't want me to get reaped. I was extremely nervous too- my district, District 12, was the most poor, and people from the later districts rarely won. And I was only twelve, the youngest age for getting reaped.

After I had comforted Ruby, I got her dressed into her nicest dress: a blue flannel dress that went down to the ankles with a pink bow around the waist. I changed into a tan dress that went down to my knees and braided my hair. Then I put Ruby's blond hair into pigtails with bows to match her dress.

I lived with my Aunt Ingrid, every since my parents had died. She was kind, but nothing compared to Mama and Father. We had two hours before the Reaping, so she sent us out to the bakery with some coins to buy a loaf of bread that me and Ruby could share as a treat.

Reaping Day was at ten o'clock, so Ruby and I spent the rest of the two hours sitting on the grass and eating our bread. I split the bread so that I got one fourth and she got the rest. Ruby was depressed because I was in the Reaping bowl, but even the bread made her smile.

Because nothing was better than the bread from the bakery.


	2. Chapter 2

After Ruby and I had eaten the bread, we walked through town and then stood in our respective places for Reaping Day. I had been tough and mature throughout Ruby's cries and Aunt Ingrid's prayers for me, but I realized as they took my blood sample that I was shaking in fear. I was led to the Girls Twelve Sector. I searched for my friend Harper but didn't see her; she must have been farther back. I was standing next to a girl I didn't know, but she was already sobbing. Looking around at the other twelve-year-olds, I realized that I was one of few girl's that didn't look like she was about to burst into tears.

Effie Trinket was the new moderator of the Games this year; I had never seen her before. The old moderator had been Bull Poppers, an ancient man who had finally died last month. Effie was much more peppy and excited than Bull had been. She had a bright pink wig and vibrant clothing. She smiled as she walked up to the podium of the Reaping Stage.

On top of the Reaping Stage were two large glass balls, one for the girls and one for the boys. Each of the balls had small slits of paper in them, each with a name. Seven of those slits held my name.

Effie smiled again and welcomed everyone to the 52nd Hunger Games. Then they played the Panem Anthem and President Snow made a short speech. After that Effie announced it was time to choose the tributes.

I closed my eyes. It was too much. I wouldn't be picked. I wouldn't. The chances were so small. Effie moved her hand around in the ball and chose a slip of paper from the top.

_Oh, please don't be my name. Please, _I prayed. Effie slowly opened and looked at the paper. She grinned and said "Camille James, you are the District 12 girl tribute!"

I crumpled to the ground. _Thank God, thank God._ I thought. Realizing I was on my knees, I collected myself and stood up. Only then did I realize what was happening.

Camille James, a girl I didn't know, had somehow run past the Peacekeepers and into the nearby bakery. About twenty Peacekeepers were chasing after her. I was about three rows of kids back, but I was tall so I could see everything. Camille ran out of the bakery's side door. I strained my eyes to see what she was holding, because the bright sun was glinting against it.

People were trying to get past the Peacekeepers to see what was going on, but the Peacekeepers had their guns out. I looked at Camille and realized she was holding a knife. A big steak knife. How she had gotten that from the bakery, I had no idea. And why was she holding a knife? Perhaps she was going to attempt and kill the Peacekeepers! I stood on my tiptoes and saw everything that happened next. It felt like it was in slow motion.

Camille brought and held the knife right in front of her heart. People were screaming. My eyes darted around to search for her family, but I didn't see them. In that split second that I looked for her family, I heard a screech.

I whipped my head around to see the crumpled body of Camille James laying in a red pool of blood.


End file.
